


Was it a Mistake?

by KMO27



Series: My Sweet Summer Child [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: 1940s, Alternate Universe - Ancient Greece & Rome, Ancient Greece, Depressed Steve Rogers, F/M, Inspired by Hades and Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Inspired by Hadestown, M/M, Non-Serum Steve Rogers/Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes | Shrinkyclinks, Pregnancy, Prologue, Protective Bucky Barnes, Underworld
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 10:37:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19060942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KMO27/pseuds/KMO27
Summary: The Soldier punishes the one who causes his love distress but the problem is bigger than it appears.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This is a prologue to this story in Bucky's point of view. 
> 
> Bucky goes by the Soldier. God's names of more like professional titles and real names (or private names) are for personal use. Things will get explained as the story goes on.
> 
> I got this idea from Hadestown of a couple who has changed so much over time, they can't see the same people they married.

**Twentieth-century AD**

* * *

 

The gable fell with a clang, and the hall of souls went silent as the Soldier took his seat. This may be a court hearing, but there was no ‘innocent till proven guilty.’ There was only retribution with a judge you couldn’t sway and guards you couldn’t bribe.

The Soldier would look at the soul’s past; their hopes, dreams, and decisions then pass judgments. The chairmen could sway the decision the Soldier had collected over the years like Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, and Washington; but at the end, the Soldier made the sentence, and today no one could change his mind.

The soul in front of him was shaking and bug-eyed. His short mustache was twitching. He fiddled with his military buttons and badges. The Soldier had told the ferryman not to let him drink from the Lethe river. This man would remember his past and rue it for all eternity.

“Adolf Hitler of Austria Hungary,” the Soldier's voice echoed through the dark hall, “You stand accused of murder and treason. You betrayed your fellow allies; conquering their land and slaughtered their people. You turned your people against each other, so half its citizens had to flee or hide. You’re conquest and propaganda led to the creations of prison and murder camps, resulting in the deaths of over seventeen million men, women, and children. Do you deny it?”

The man was gaping like a fish. Most likely, he wasn’t processing death well. Nowadays everyone thinks they go to Heaven or Nirvana or so shit, but in reality, the dead all go to the Underworld regardless of you were a sinner or saint. For in death, there was only one god you needed to fear or praise, and Death was his name.

The Soldier didn’t let the man answer, “You escaped retribution when enemies surrounded you so justice will be delivered here. You will spend all eternity in my own camp in the Field of Punishment. You will never eat or drink. You will not sleep. You will only burn in a crematorium for all times just like your victims,” the Soldier turned towards his Furies, “Escort this gentleman to his punishment.”

The Soldier couldn’t remember the last time he took pleasure in hearing the squeal of a man being stuck like a pig, torn to ribbons by the Furies only to repair himself again and again. He never took pleasure in his job. The Soldier had long lost pity or anger in the souls he judged. In truth, he didn’t care that the man had caused genocide. He wasn’t the first, nor would he be the last. What caused him fury was this man had caused the Soldier’s beloved destress. That was enough of a reason to fried the man’s eyes in its sockets. The man’s screams were music to his malevolent spirit.

The Soldier excused himself from the remaining hearings. His chairman could handle them without him for a while. While the peak of population, the Soldier’s job had become more demanding. More living means more dead to come, and with this war throughout the world, more souls just kept coming. Still, the Solder always made time for his beloved.

As the Soldier left the hall, he saw the red-haired Furie known as Natasha walk up to him. Natasha was the only Fury the Soldier really talked too outside of orders mostly because she was the only one of the three who held a definitive personality over the years. Acting the part of a monster over millions of years will do that to your soul. It’s debatable if the Soldier has kept his clean.

“You know he isn’t going to want to talk to you,” Natasha wiped the blood off her hands, “He hasn’t spoken to anyone in months.”

The Soldier kept his face neutral, “Did he eat this morning?”

“What do I look like? His babysitter?”

The Soldier glared, “Natasha.”

She sighed and picked a loose feather off his red wings, “I don’t think so. The cook doesn’t know how to make anything but grey moosh. Have you tried to get him to eat meat?”

“Since the eleventh century. You know how he is, he won’t hurt animals.”

Natasha gave a toothy grin, “It doesn’t have to be animal,” the Soldier gave her a flat look, “Come on, it was a joke. Gods, you don’t have to be so stiff.”

The Soldiers adjusted the buttons of his black overcoat. “I permit you to leave the Underworld. Seek out Sarah and ask for a supply of fruits and vegetables for her son.”

Natasha snorted, “You better hope Demeter doesn’t sense you using his private name.”

"Well, she is my mother-in-law. She best be used to it," the Soldier saw Natasha rolling her green eyes, “Just do it.”

“As you wish, my Lord,” Natasha bowed before taking flight, “He’s in the garden if you’d like to know.”

Of course, his love was there. His beloved was always there, especially when he was upset nowadays. He is still trying to grow flowers trees there in the artificial garden. It didn’t even have real plants outside of moon blossoms which were a weed. All the trees and shrubbery were carved out of precious stones; emerables, diamonds, and rubies. The Soldier had built it for his beloved though he long learned his love didn’t care for such trinkets. He just liked the light the animated in this dark world.

It wasn’t hard for the soldier to find his love. There was a trail of moon blossoms wherever his love walked. Today the path was aimless around the garden until the Soldier reached the well connected to the river Styx. The water was dangerous for mortals, but to gods, the damage was minor.

“Αγάπη μου,” the Soldier calls out to the small godling. The little god was curled into himself in his blue tunic and sandals. His love was always traditional, “It is done. The Hitler man has received what he deserved like you wished,” his love didn’t move, “I sense you're still upset. What can I do to change it?”

His love didn’t move and say anything. His blue eyes were fixed on the pit of the well. His golden fringe fell just above them. His pale skin was luminescent in the dark. The Soldier came around and tucked his love into his chest. His small body fit into the Soldiers like a puzzle piece, “Tell me what to do and I will do it, Αγάπη μου. Anything for you.”

His love licked his lips, “You can’t do anything.”

“What do you mean?”

His love finally looked up at the Soldier through blonde lashes, “I heard that man screaming when you gave the order. I’m sure everyone in the Underworld did. I always hate it when I heard that but…”

“But what?” the Soldier whispered against the shell of his ear.

“I-I liked it,” his love looked away, “Gods, something is wrong with me. Isn’t it?”

The Soldier kissed his love’s forehead, “No, there is nothing wrong with hating a man like that, “ the Soldier was pushed away, “Steve?”

“You don’t get it,” his love, Steve, didn’t even sound mad, just defeated, “I’m not supposed to feel this way. I wasn’t made to feel hatred and evil like this. I...I…”

“Shh,” The Soldier  pulled Steve back into him, “There is nothing wrong with that.”

“We’re from two different worlds, Buck. I’ve tried to get you to understand mine, and it would never work,” Steve smiled without mirth, “Well, I guess I learned about your’s.”

That hurt to hear. Steve was always his sweet summer child; entirely made of life, curiosity, and joy. Bucky was always the Winter Soldier nothing but darkness, anger, and merciless fury. The Soldier hated that it has seeped into Steve’s aura, “This is my fault, Steve. I should never have brought you down here.”

Steve chuckled dryly, “About three thousand years too late but there is no point dwelling on the past. I made my choice.”

Steve wasn’t supposed to blame himself. This wasn’t right. Then again, when was the last time things went right? The industrialization? Going against the other gods? The Pomegranate seeds?

No.

It was the moment the Soldier decided what they have wasn’t enough and stole Steve from his mother's garden.  
  



	2. What's in a name?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Soldier first learns of Demeter's pregnancy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The stories will change the point of view and will have different views so don't get too used to the brooding of Bucky. Also, remember years go backwards during BC or BCE. The Dark Age of Greece is from 1200 BC to 900 BC and Ancient Greece was from 800 BC to 500 BC and Ancient Rome was from 753 BC to 5th century AD. Don't worry, this isn't a history textbook but some context may be useful.

**Twelve century BC**  

* * *

 

 

The Soldier wasn’t a good man if you can even call him a man.

He was a god.

God of death and death is neither good nor bad. The mortals don’t praise him; only fear. There is one thing they say to the god of death; not today.

But it doesn’t matter morally. The Soldier isn’t a good man. He doesn’t care who’s a sinner or a saint when he reaps their souls, they're dead either way.

That doesn’t mean the soldier doesn’t like life. While the Soldier is not allowed on Mount Olympus except for the summer and winter solstices, Demeter is kind enough to allow him in her garden in the mortal world. It was a sight to see with the wildlife of flora and fauna not native to the area but as a creation of gods. The grass was more luscious and the fruit of always ripe for the picking. Demeter travels the world and plants only her favorite in the garden. During his last visit, the Soldier learned Demeter was growing a new tree from the east, which grew peaches. Though they were a little too sweet for his taste, the Soldier had developed a fondness for plums and pomegranates, but only the latter seems to grow in the Underworld and only with an enchantment.  

Today, the Soldier waited in the dark for Zeus to depart before making his appearance to the goddess. Zeus had been there more often than usual for him. Usually, the prick couldn’t leave his golden throne in the sky. It was also fair to say the Soldier was still bitter for being banished from his brothers of arms after the Great War to the dark and decay of the Underworld.

Zeus kissed Demeter softly before calling on a chariot of wind and rain to carry him back to the heavens. The Soldier appeared from the shadows moments after Zeus’s departure. The Soldier wrapped his fur-lined cloak around himself before stepping towards Demeter. Her blonde hair had woven back with grass and leaves into a crown braid and amber vines wrapped around her arms like armbands. Nothing of this was new. The gods rarely change their appearance. What was new what the bump was showing through her green tunic.

The Soldier took her hand and kissed it as a sign of respect for the goddess, “Oh Great Demeter, goddess of fertility and-" 

Demeter laughed, “Oh James, please call me Sarah. We have been over this. I told you I don’t mind invited guests using my private name."

The Soldier gave a weak smile, "Well, if you insist; as you seem accustomed to using mine."

"Come now. Rules of formality should not be extended to friends."

The Soldier nodded, "You speak truths though I should still extend congratulations to you and the King."

"Thank you,” she patted her rounded belly, “Joseph and I have been blessed with the goddess of flowers, Persephone.”

“That’s-” the Soldier coughed, “That’s wonderful.”

Sarah's face lit up like sunlight, causing her blue eyes crinkled at the corners, “I know, I can’t wait to see my little godling.”

"I believe this is your first, am I current?"

 She nodded, "Yes. I want to say I have everything under control, but children can be unpredictable, especially being so young with abilities and responsibilities in their shoulders.

“Just be careful,” the Soldier said gravely, “Not many of King's children have a happy ending. Remember what happened to Hercules and the twins?”

Sarah’s lips tighten, “I am well aware. I have invited Pan to look after her in the garden until the mortal world quiets down. The world is in chaos right now. I will never understand the human ability to fight over such trivial things,” Sarah looked at the Soldier’s dark armor, fur cloak, and leather boots, “I see you’ve taken on the barbarian attire.”

“Sarah, you always have known I am an outlier.”

Sarah shrugged, “True,” then she led towards to grove, “I’ve been thinking about her private name. What do you think of Joanna, Michelle, Elizabeth, or maybe Stephanie?”

The Soldier tightened his grip on his sword like he always does when he’s nervous, “Are you sure I am the best person to cast a vote?”

Sarah tilted her head, “How so?”

“I’m the god of death, not birth. It may bring bad luck to your little one. I’d think Hera would be better at this sort of thing.”

“Please, Hera is a nasty piece of work. Did you see what she did to Hephaestus? Tossed him off Mount Olympus as a baby because he was ugly. And she calls herself a mother?” Sarah retorted, brushing wisps of hair out of her face, “No, I think not.”

The Soldier bowed his head, before unfolding his hand to reveal a growing gold stem curling around a large ruby shaped like a rose, “Well, if you would accept, a gift for the goddess of flowers. And if I may, I’d choose Stephanie.”

Sarah smiled before plucking the jeweling from his palm, "I sometimes forget there is beauty in that dark hole in the ground you're from."

"Only to those to don't succumb to greed."

Sarah pinned the jewel in her hair, "I hope you don't mind if I keep this from Joseph. I do not wish to be between you two squabbling."

The Soldier sighed, "Neither would I."

A young satyr trouted up to Sarah and whispered in her ear. The goddess nodded before excusing the satyr, "Forgive my early departure, but I have business to attend to elsewhere. I hope the next time I see you will be with my daughter."

The Soldier gave no response but a bow. He did not say he didn't intend to see the child. There was a reason the Soldier didn't have his own. He was terrible with children and brought misfortune to their lives before they even have begun.

 

It would be a long time untill the Soldier openly walked through Demeter's garden.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading the prologue. See you in the next story.


End file.
